Bill Greason played in the Negro Leagues from 1948-1951 before making his way to the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball.
At 99 years old, Greason has a story to tell us about his experience in the United States during a near century of existence. He also played a major role in the pre-game ceremony ahead of Thursday’s game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants.
It is not your typical regular-season MLB game. It’s taking place at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. This is the original home of the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Leagues. It was built all the way back in 1910.
As MLB celebrates its history and how things have evolved, Greason was on hand to throw out the first pitch ahead of Thursday’s game. It was an absolutely stirring scene.
Tears. Chills. Whatever you want to call it, this was as emotional of a scene we’ve witnessed on a baseball field in some time.
Adding to the festivities in Alabama is the fact that Greason was a teammate of the late-great Willie Mays in Birmingham back in 1948. Mays passed away on Tuesday at the age of 93. He was originally slated to be on hand.
Related: Why Willie Mays should be the MLB logo
Bill Greason’s first pitch at Rickwood Field comes with emotional backdrop
Greason was born in Atlanta back in 1924. “I grew up across the street from Martin Luther King Jr.,” Greason once exclaimed.
He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, being one of the first black Marines. He took part in the Battle of Iwo Jima. All of this took place before Jackie Robinson broke the MLB color barrier years later.
After his playing days, Greason became a member of the 16th Street Baptist Church after four black children were killed by a Ku Klux Klan member in September of 1963. In 1971, Bill Greason became pastor of Birmingam’s Bethel Baptist Church. He served in that role until 2023.
Just let all of that sink in.